Stairway to Heaven

F

Spintop: customized Hollow Point (with bulldog
cap)

Alternative content

Description: Throw a hard boomerang to your left (non-throwing)
hand. Wrap the string clockwise (as seen looking from the hand towards
the elbow) around the right arm using a scooping motion. Wrap the string
cw around the tip of the top using your right arm. Holding the end of
the string between fingers on your left hand, separate the arms to tighten
the string and start a wire-walker. Walk the top between the arms and
up the right arm corkscrew. Land it on the hand.

Advice: Controlling the tension on the string is critical and
it varies along the trick. Too little tension and the spin is lost to
slippage and also the top is more likely to escape the bind. Too much
tension speeds up the top and it flies away due to centrifugal force.

Notes: The spin energy is consumed raising the top so you need
to start with a strong boomerang and prepare the wrap fast before it looses
too much spin.

History/Etymology: I first reported this trick on B&S around
2002 and has become my signature trick. At Worlds 04 I got
many request for a demo from advanced players. I originally named it Staircase to Heaven, but because of the song everybody calls it Stairway to Heaven.